Zucchini Lasagna (Low Carb & Diabetes Friendly)

Will's grandmother gave us a plethora ofcucumbers and zucchinis. And the zucchini -- it was a baseball bat! And I was hankering for lasagna, so I thought a healthy alternative would be perfect!

Ingredients:

• Zucchini, sliced thin
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound italian sausage
• 2 jars marinara sauce
• Ricotta
• Cottage cheese
• Chopped spinach
• Mozzarella cheese, sliced or shredded
• Parmesan

Preparation:

• Slice the zucchini
• Mix the ricotta, cottage cheese, and spinach (thaw & drain). I did a 2:1 ratio of ricotta:cottage cheese.
• Brown the beef and sausage, crumbling into small pieces. Add the jars of marinara and bring to a simmer.
• Layer the bottom of a 9x13 pan with some marinara. Put a layer of zucchini, mozzarella, then a layer of cheese mix. Repeat until the pan is full. I ended with a layer of marinara sauce and then I sprinkled the top with grated parmesan cheese.
• Bake in a 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve with garlic bread.

>> If you end up making this for dinner, tag me in an Instagram post -- @marriedtodavis or #marriedtodavis

Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken

My mother-in-law makes THE most wonderful, decadent, fresh pesto I've ever had. She has a simple recipe that we adore. And I knew I wanted to make chicken tonight, so I whipped up a quick filling and it was an instant family hit! The kids loved the chicken and the creamy, cheesy filling! And the sun-dried tomatoes added a tangy, almost sweet, bite. 

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 1-2 tbsp. Pesto
• 3 pieces of sun-dried tomato, minced
• 2 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 chicken breasts
• Fresh basil
• Olive oil
• Salt and Pepper
• Other: toothpicks or twine

I sliced the chicken down the center to create a pocket for the filling. I topped the filling with two basil leaves.

Then, I placed the stuffed chicken breasts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I used 3-4 toothpicks to secure the opening on each breast. Or if you don't have toothpicks, you could also use kitchen twine.

Lastly, I drizzled some olive oil on each chicken breast and sprinkled them with salt and pepper. If you want, you could even skip the toothpicks and wrap each chicken breast with 2-3 pieces of bacon.

I baked the chicken in a 350 degree oven for about an hour. Use your discretion, as each oven cooks a different speeds. 

I served the chicken with broccoli, but mashed potatoes would also be a wonderful side to this dish.

>> If you end up making this for dinner, tag me in an Instagram post -- @marriedtodavis or #marriedtodavis

Chicken Gyro

I'm a sucker for a good gyro. And this recipe for chicken gyros is crazy easy and tastes amazing!

Ingredients:

• Tsatziki sauce ( homemade or store bought)
• 2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 6 pieces of pita bread (I used naan bread)

Optional toppings:

• Red onion, thinly sliced
• Yellow onion, thinly sliced
• Iceberg lettuce, shredded
• Feta cheese, crumbled
• Kalamata olives
• Tomato, sliced or diced

I started by slicing the chicken into thin, small pieces. Then, I added all of the marinade ingredients into a glass bowl. 

I mixed the marinade, added the chicken, and coated the chicken in the marinade. I covered it and put it in the fridge for 1 hour.

When I was ready to cook the chicken, I poured it onto a small baking pan and spread it out -- creating one thin layer.

I heated the frozen naan bread (you might use pita) in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

I put the broiler in my oven on high and set the rack to be about 6 inches under the broiler. Then, I put the chicken under the broiler for about 10 minutes. Each oven is different, so keep an eye on the chicken. You might want to take it out every few minutes and toss the chicken so that you get even browning.

Today was a snowy day, so I didn't want to leave the house and get more toppings... therefore, I only had tzatziki sauce, yellow onion, and feta. I would have liked to have some tomato as well, but next time!

I like to spread a thin layer of tzatziki sauce on the bread, but you can always put it on top. The chicken was delicious and even the kiddos ate a bunch!

>> If you end up making this for dinner, tag me in an Instagram post -- @marriedtodavis or #marriedtodavis

Crispy Cheddar Chicken

I found this delicious recipe on Pinterest and adjusted it to fit my husband and I's likes. It turned out great and Will had 2 servings (so we know he liked it!).

Ingredients for Chicken:

• 2 chicken breasts (I sliced them in half to make 4 fillets)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 small sleeves (or 1 large) of Ritz crackers, crushed
• salt and pepper
• dried parsley

Ingredients for Sauce:

• 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp sour cream

Preparation of Chicken:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
• Put the milk, cheese, and Ritz crackers into separate containers. Season the crackers with salt and pepper
• Dip the chicken in milk
• Press the chicken into the cheese. You might need to pat it onto the chicken. Some may fall off.
• Then press the chicken into the crushed crackers. Pat down the crackers into the chicken.
• Place chicken fillets into a greased pan (around 9x13) and sprinkle with parsley
• Bake in the oven for 35 minutes covered with foil and then uncovered for another 10 minutes

Preparation of Sauce:

• Melt butter in small saucepan
• Add soup and sour cream
• Whisk until combined and hot
• Serve over chicken

I served the chicken with some mashed potatoes. The sauce worked great as a gravy as well! Yum :)

>> If you end up making this for dinner, tag me in an Instagram post -- @marriedtodavis or #marriedtodavis

Pork Medallions with Balsamic-Honey Glaze

Pork loin medallions were on super sale at Jewel, so I bought a lot (And I mean A LOT). So, I found a few recipes for pork medallions that you'll see here soon... starting with this one!

I started by making the glaze for the pork. I mixed 4 cloves of minced garlic with 3/4 tbsp of dried rosemary. (If you were using fresh rosemary, use 1 tbsp.)

I then added 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar.

Next, I threw in 2 tbsp olive oil, 3 tbsp honey, and 1 tbsp Dijon mustard. Lastly, I added salt and pepper to taste.

To prep the pork, I salt and peppered both sides. Then, I heated some coconut oil (canola or vegetable oil would work just fine) and seared each side of pork for 1 minute. 

I used just 4 pork medallions because I'm not feeding an army, but the glaze recipe can accommodate 1 3/4 to 2 pounds of pork tenderloin. (If you start with a whole tenderloin, cut them down to 1 inch slices)

I placed the pork in a shallow baking dish...

... and poured the amazing smelling glaze over them. I baked them in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted reaches 140 degrees F.

They were delicious! I served them over rice and poured extra glaze over the top. Will loved them, so they're husband approved :)

>> If you end up making this for dinner, tag me in an Instagram post -- @marriedtodavis or #marriedtodavis

Sweet 'n' Smoky Meatloaf

Meatloaf is a classic dish that I've come to learn is unique to each cook. This is my first attempt at a meatloaf for two! If you are feeding an army, just double the recipe ;)

In a medium bowl, I added:

• 1 pound of 85/15 ground chuck
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 med. yellow onion, grated using the large holes of a box grater
• 1 small (or 1/2 large) garlic clove, pressed
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp of both salt and pepper

And for use later:

• 3 slices of bacon

I mixed all the ingredients together and formed it into a loaf and placed it in a baking dish.

I diagonally draped the bacon across the meatloaf.

After it cooked in a 400 degree oven for 35-40 minutes, it was perfect! If you are doing a double recipe, let it hang out in the oven for 45 minutes.

We ate the meatloaf with ketchup alongside mashed potatoes and corn -- yum!

>> If you end up making this for dinner, tag me in an Instagram post -- @marriedtodavis or #marriedtodavis

Easy Bacon, Cheese, and Spinach Quiche

I love, love, LOVE quiche! Will and I recently had a guest and for breakfast I wanted to make something special! I found an easy recipe for quiche, but I made it my own by adding and changing some ingredients.

I pre-baked a frozen 9 inch deep dish pie shell in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes.

I mixed together the filling in a medium bowl. I included:

• 3 strips bacon, cooked and diced in bite-size pieces
• 1/2 cup chopped onion, flash cooked in the bacon fat
• 5 oz shredded mozzarella
• 3 oz grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup thawed spinach, squeezed dry

When the pie shell was done, I dumped in the ingredients. Before I did, I placed the pie shell on a small baking sheet to make transportation to and fro the oven easy!

In a separate bowl, I whisked 4 large eggs, 1 cup of half & half, salt, and pepper.

I then poured the egg and cream mix over the rest of the filling. 

I turned down the heat to 350 degrees and baked it  for 35-45 minutes, or until the top turns to a golden brown.

It was super delicious!

>> If you end up making this for breakfast, tag me in an Instagram post -- @marriedtodavis or #marriedtodavis

Paleo Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs

Friends, let me tell you about the roller coaster I've been on. Will wanted to go on the Paleo diet, and I hesitantly agreed. Not that I have anything against it, but one of the foods it prohibits is dairy (and if you know me -- I love my yogurt, cheese, and I need cream in my coffee). But we agreed on a month trial run and it lasted one day when I think we both realized that not having grains was going to be an issue. But I did find many Paleo recipes that looked scrumptious -- just like this one!

To make the teriyaki marinade & dipping sauce, I started by mixing the wet ingredients:

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup white wine (I used a dry wine)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp white vinegar

I poured the wet mix into a small saucepan and then added the other ingredients:

• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tsp ginger
• black pepper for taste
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (or more depending on heat preference)

I brought the mix to a boil and then simmered it for about 5 minutes on low heat. I consistently stirred the sauce. I let the marinade rest for 10 minutes.

I cubed 2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts and placed them in a gallon size zip lock bag. I then added the teriyaki marinade. Make sure you reserve some of the liquid to use as a dipping sauce.

I marinaded the chicken for 3 hours in the fridge, but you can marinade it for at least 30 minutes or overnight for maximum flavor. I diced up one red bell pepper and grabbed my metal skewers. If you are using bamboo/wooden skewers, make sure you soak them in water for 5 minutes.

I was going to alternate chicken and pepper, but then I realized that the chicken may not cook evenly with large chunks of pepper in between each piece of chicken. I did put one pepper piece at the end of each chicken kabob to secure the meat (otherwise it would slip right off).

All ready for the grill!

I spread coconut oil on the grill as it was heating up. It took about 15 minutes to cook the chicken and heat the peppers.

All done! The chicken was absolutely delicious and were so tender and juicy!

>> If you end up making this for dinner, tag me in an Instagram post -- @marriedtodavis or #marriedtodavis